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WASHINGTON (AP) — A Homeland Security Department intelligence review goes against the core of the claim President Donald Trump says is the justification for his travel ban imposed on seven Muslim-majority countries. A DHS draft document obtained by The Associated Press concludes that there is insufficient evidence to consider citizens of the seven countries a terror threat. The document found that just over half of the 82 people the government determined were inspired by a foreign terrorist group to carry out or try to carry out an attack in the U.S. were born in the United States. The rest were from 26 countries.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is defending chief of staff Reince Priebus against accusations he breached a government firewall when he asked FBI Director James Comey to publicly dispute media reports that Trump campaign advisers had been frequently in touch with Russian intelligence agents. Spokesman Sean Spicer says Priebus had little choice in seeking FBI assistance in rebutting what Spicer said were inaccurate reports.
WASHINGTON (AP) — News organizations are protesting after being kept from joining an informal White House press briefing on Friday. Organizations that were barred from the gathering by White House press secretary Sean Spicer include the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CNN and Politico. The Associated Press chose not to participate. Invited organizations included the website Breitbart News, formerly headed by Steve Bannon, chief strategist to President Donald Trump.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The NAACP is calling on religious conferences, athletic events and musicians to avoid North Carolina as part of a national boycott protesting the state's conservative policies including a law limiting LGBT protections. NAACP national president Cornell Brooks says children are being imperiled and face being bullied "as a consequence of politicians using them as political pawns."
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. immigration authorities are barring entry to a 21-year-old Syrian cinematographer who worked on a harrowing film about his nation's civil war. The film is called "The White Helmets" and has been nominated for an Academy Award. According to internal correspondent seen by the AP, the government decided at the last minute to block Khaled Khateeb from traveling to Los Angeles for the Oscars. Officials cite what they call "derogatory information" regarding Khateeb.
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